"Wonders in the sky" - 20 November 1902 - Adelaide, South Australia

Hi all

In a previous post on 30 Dec 2010, my co-blogger, Pauline, reviewed the book "Wonders in the Skies: Unexplained Aerial Objects from Antiquity to Modern Times," published by Jeremy F Tarcher (Penguin), New York. 2010. ISBN 978-1-58542-820-5. Authored by Jacques Vallee and Chris Aubeck.

This book sent me off searching for Australian pre-1947 events, and saw me joining Aubeck's Magonia Exchange network.

Research findings:

I have already posted my research findings on several such pre-1947 events:

1. 5 Feb 1947 Port Augusta, South Australia (29 Jan 2011.)
2. Feb 1944 Bass Strait (8 Feb 2011.)
3. 12 Apr 1793 New South Wales (17 Mar 2011.)
4. 26 Feb 1942 Off Western Australia (24 Apr 2011.)

This post concerns an unusual observation from the year 1902, from Adelaide, South Australia, my home town.

Ball of light:

"Sir Charles Todd stated that on Thursday morning, at 9.27 o'clock, a remarkable phenomenon was witnessed in the heavens by Messrs Griffiths (the assistant astronomer), Chettle and Dodwell, of the Adelaide Observatory. The two last named were taking weather observations when they noticed a brilliant globular light having a planetary disc. It appeared in the south-south-east at an altitude of about 45 deg. It moved slowly northwards, passing within 15 or 20 degrees of the Sun, and was brightly visible till 9.31 - four minutes in all.

"Mr Griffiths, who observed it for a minute, says it moved over about 20 deg. of an arc in that time. The object appeared like Venus does when it is at its greatest brilliancy, soon after sunset.

"Mr Griffiths lost sight of the meteoric object at an altitude of 45 deg. above the horizon. It therefore travelled at least 90 deg. and was lost sight of in the great glare of the sky.

"Messrs Chettle and Dodwell state that when it was near to the prime vertical it became elongated, and took an elliptical form, the long axis lying south to north."

Source: The Register (Adelaide, South Australia: 1901-1929), Friday 21 November 1902 page 4.